Oscar Pistorious sentenced to 5 years in prison for shooting Reeva Steenkamp

Following his conviction for culpable homicide

Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years in jail for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge. Pistorius has been taken to the cells.

The prosecution had called for a minimum 10-year sentence; the defence for community service and house arrest.

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Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.

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Pistorius, who competed in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door on Valentine's Day of last year, but was cleared of murder in September.

Having denied all accusations of murder and insisted that he shot Reeva by mistake, he could have faced up to fifteen years in jail for his actions, however legal experts argue the maximum prison time is rarely handed out.

As a first-time offender and having shown genuine remorse after shooting Reeva, Pistorius may have been treated leniently, and would potentially be able to seek parole after serving just half of his sentence.

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